All Blacks beat Oz

Final Score:
NZ 22 - Australia 16

This was always going to be a good game. And to be quite frank, a game I didn't really know we could win. But in the end, win we did, and the beautiful thing was, we won with some extra grace to let the crowd of All Black supporters come away with more satisfied hearts.

The All Blacks started badly and those Australian backs, well as usual, they started on the front foot. Berrick Barnes has magic feet and danced across the All Black line in the first ten minutes to send shivers down kiwi spines. I really thought it was all over rover from this point with the shoddy porous holes in defence left by Nonu, Smith and McDonald. The Australian backs with Stirling Mortlock, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell and Adam Ashley-Cooper et al are a potent lot and I've always rated them against our own. Not very patriotic, but very true.

But what was heartening in this match is that NZ came back and showed more mettle than what they ever did when playing France and Italy. An All Black attack saw McCaw - all round saviour - slot in a try and from there, possession and territory was ours. Of course Australia gave us a good game, but at half time when Tialata was subbed and Hore went off for his lineout sins, I kind of relaxed.

We always looked like we were in the box seat. (I might have relaxed too because I'd had a few more wines at this point). There's no doubt that New Zealand and Australia are very even. I think the referee was also kinder to us in general and the All Blacks definitely had the rub of the green. But we also showed real grit and determination from coming back when the chips were down, our breakdown and our defence grew, and that was a good omen, particularly as the game wore on.

What made me most pleased was that the much maligned Stephen Donald played a good game. He slotted the goals over when he needed to and found some important gaps. He comes across as such a nice guy and I for one really want him to do well. Tonight he might have silenced a few of his detractors. I hope he continues to believe in himself and improves in South Africa. I have some faith that he will.

Well done ABs. Phew. I'm proud of you. George Smith, sorry ... (but not really).

Henry All Black coach until 2011 and the Rugby World Cup

What other All Black coach (in fact what other coach anywhere for that matter) can claim two NH grand slams, more Tri Nations trophies than you can shake a stick at, a whitewash of the British and Irish Lions and a vicelike grip on the Bledisloe cup - not to mention a continued world ranking of No 1 in world rugby? Sorry, but last time I looked, Henry is the only man. That’s why I’m pleased he’s been reappointed to coach through until the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Putting his impeccable record aside however, Henry haters are still a dime a dozen. Normally thriving down red and black way, these grumps ironically can’t see past the fact that Robbie Deans has also failed at a Rugby World Cup – oh and did I mention the fact he sold out to the enemy? (And yes I can be parochial here, a New Zealand rugby man of Deans’ stature coaching the Wallabies is like Alex Ferguson packing his bags and moving north London way to manage Arsenal).

Yes - the All Blacks without Carter, McCaw, Williams and So’oialo looked shaky at best for the Inveco series last month. And yes - All Black fans may have to be prepared that this current New Zealand team may well have to relinquish the Tri Nations title and Bledisloe Cup in the next couple of months. Especially if the Wallabies live up to expectation and the Boks can ignore the instructions of their mad coach long enough. But that’s life. It’s a sport. You win some and you lose some.

It seems we’ve been so spoilt with our winning rugby team in this country that we’ve become very sore losers when we don’t get our way – and we’re getting an ugly reputation for it. When did we become like this? Spoilt children that throw all their toys out of the cot when our team loses to a better team on the night? Let’s shoot the coach! Honestly, it’s not cool. Chris Rattue et al, are you listening?

I mentioned in my last blog that we’ve got no-one else anyway. If people seriously believe Ian Foster or Colin Cooper could be the answer, then they’re delusional. In fact, I’ll strike out here and now partly blame the current crop of All Blacks’ form on Cooper and Foster’s shoulders. I mean, the Hurricanes had eight All Blacks who just months earlier swept the cream of the Northern Hemisphere teams aside for New Zealand. How did these same players under Cooper manage to look so mediocre? Every time I tuned in to the Super 14 this year the Hurricanes looked shoddy, overweight and lethargic. Their form under Cooper went backwards. How can one group of men look so good under one coach and so apathetic under another?

Henry is a wily old bugger who’s had a dramatic coaching tenure. Under the cosh numerous times he’s proved he can handle the criticism that is routinely piled on him. He’s experienced it from all corners of the earth after all. But no matter how polarising he is and no matter how thick his skin must have had to become to cope with the continual flak, Henry to me always seems - under that dour school teacher persona of his - a person who truly can inspire his players.

A famous Henryism (did he steal it from Madonna I wonder?) is ‘Express yourself’. Often repeated by players in post match interviews it appears to have become a motto which is now part of All Black doctrine. It’s got kind of a new-agey vibe to it but it’s also to the point, inspiring and simple. I think that’s Henry’s coaching style in a nutshell and I’m pleased that we’re sticking with a man who’s shown he’s got a backbone, and a big heart. He knows the glories of success and the horrors of failure. I’ve no doubt that he’s the right man to take us through to 2011– even if there are a few hiccups along the way.
I'm sorry but Billy who? This is priceless.

British and Irish Lions get the consolation prize and win showing true passion

This was another week for the history books with the British and Irish Lions showing true class and grit to steamroll the Springbok second string side and leave Peter De Villiers with egg on his face. Lote Tuqiri is suspended permanently from the ARU and the All Blacks squad for the 2009 Tri Nations is announced with no new surprises. A wee footnote too about the whole sad Basteraud affair.

British and Irish Lions' 28-9 victory over South Africa

The British and Irish Lions came back from the disappointment of losing the 2009 series in South Africa by taking Peter De Villiers’ back-up team to task and completely annihilating them out wide and up front. The Baby Boks, controversially sporting white armbands to reflect their solidarity with Bakkes Botha after he copped his ban had no answer to a spurned Lions outfit with fire in their bellies. The northern hemisphere lads played with style and ended their seven game losing streak in what was in the end, a dramatic and hugely entertaining tour. As usual there was exciting play on the field matched by ineptitude and brain farts (Ronan O’Gara take a bow), the usual underhanded dirty play (Simon Shaw and Schalk Burger), bitching and moaning about the officials from members of the public and British media (the usual suspects, Stephen Jones, Robert Kitson etc etc) and yet more idiotic comments from the South African coach. Although South Africa look like the team to beat in the Tri Nations – can they really be considered such a potent force when they have a complete donkey at the helm? Interesting Lions comments here by Chris Hewett summing up the good and the bad of the tour.

Tuqiri gone

No, I won’t be sad that Lote Tuqiri has been banished from the Wallaby set-up. I just wish that those breakers of All Black supporters hearts - Stirling Mortlock and Matt Giteau would join him. But in all seriousness - the termination of Lote’s ARU contract is all very mysterious, especially with Dingo Deans wandering into the fray and adding his support to John O’Neill’s decision. Tuqiri has allegedly been involved now in one too many off the field mishaps where alcohol and no doubt pig headed aggression have been to the fore. A great rugby player to watch who could really cut a defensive line open with his running and skill, in form Tuqiri was always dangerous. So no, heading into the tri nations with our straggly lot of butter fingered bambini I’m not sad at all that he’s been dropped. Although rugby will definitely be the poorer now for his departure.

Graham Henry and his fan club

Another All Black squad announced for the Tri Nations and another chance for the talk back radio callers and message board bloggers to have a good moan about Ted. Griping about the All Black coach is becoming more of a national sport than the national sport. As usual, the knives are out for Henry because:

A/ He’s not a cantabrian
B/ He’s not dingo deans
C/ He’s not either of the above
D/ He picked Rokocoko and Toeava
E/ He didn’t pick Messam or Masanga

Firstly – although the media would say differently, polls suggest that Henry still has support of at least half the country. All the doubters that hassle Henry should take a good hard look at who else is in the wings if he goes? Colin Cooper, Ian Foster, Pat Lamb?! Yeah right. People think the player depth in this country is bad – I think the coaching stocks are more depleted yet. The day Colin Cooper becomes All Black coach is the day I give up on rugby completely.

So Henry’s selections. He’s made some that I kind of scratch my head at. I’m definitely with the punters who think he was mad to reselect Rokocoko and Toeava. Roks has looked sluggish for years now and as for Toeava – how many chances does he need before the selectors stop selecting him? The guy can play amazing rugby but when it comes to the crunch, his nerves fail him in the big ones. As one witty blogger posted: “Toeava can wear the jersey of anyone in the backline- whether he can actually play in any of these positions is highly questionable!” Meanwhile, Tialata who I think is the true Achilles heel of the forward pack sneaks through unnoticed. Why?

Good things about the selections? At least Lauaki didn’t another call up. Also, Messam doesn’t have it at the moment and they were right to let him go. Another time maybe for him.

The sorry saga of Basteareaud

Poor guy has been through the mill. I thought this Rosemary McLeod column was a good compassionate take on the follies of youth.